Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt will remain closed until Hamas returns the bodies of deceased hostages, as both sides traded blame over alleged ceasefire violations.
The announcement came after the Palestinian embassy in Egypt said Rafah would reopen on Monday for entry into Gaza. Netanyahu rejected that claim, saying reopening depended on Hamas fulfilling its commitments under the U.S.-brokered ceasefire.
Washington later said it had received “credible reports” of an imminent Hamas attack against civilians, warning it would be a “grave violation” of the truce. Hamas denied the accusations, blaming Israel for arming “criminal gangs” in Gaza and accusing the U.S. of echoing what it called a “misleading narrative.”
Bodies, aid, and fragile peace
Israel said it had received 12 out of 28 hostage bodies agreed under the ceasefire deal, while Hamas insisted the search for others was slowed by rubble and aid restrictions. The militant group accused Israel of blocking equipment needed for recovery efforts.
The war has left Gaza devastated. Nearly all residents have been displaced, famine has been confirmed by global monitors, and hospitals remain overwhelmed.
Under the U.S.-brokered agreement, Hamas released all 20 living Israeli hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees. Israel, in turn, was to return 360 bodies of Palestinian militants for the deceased Israeli hostages, so far, only a fraction of that has happened.
Unresolved issues in Trump’s plan
Rafah has largely remained shut since May 2024, reopening only briefly during humanitarian pauses. The current truce increased aid deliveries to about 560 metric tons of food per day, still far below Gaza’s need, according to the U.N. World Food Programme.
Major questions remain unresolved under U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan, including Hamas’s disarmament, Gaza’s future governance, and the composition of an international stabilisation force. The creation of a Palestinian state also remains uncertain, a formidable obstacle to lasting peace.
Counting is underway in Armenia's elections. The results of the vote are set to determine the political direction of the country of three million peop...
Counting is underway in Armenia’s parliamentary elections, with the results of the vote set to determine the makeup of the National Assembly and sha...
The Iranian national football team is set to arrive in North America for the World Cup after finally securing travel documents, but a dispute over U.S...
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has confirmed the number of casualties its citizens suffered as a result of the 5 June drone attacks on the cargo ships ...
Sirens rang out across multiple areas of Israel on Sunday night after missiles were launched from Iran towards the country, the Israeli military said...
Counting is underway in Armenia’s parliamentary elections, with the results of the vote set to determine the makeup of the National Assembly and shape the country's political direction for the foreseeable future. But in Armenia, the final result is not decided by vote percentages alone.
The Iranian national football team is set to arrive in North America for the World Cup after finally securing travel documents, but a dispute over U.S. visa approvals continues to cast a shadow over the country's tournament preparations.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has confirmed the number of casualties its citizens suffered as a result of the 5 June drone attacks on the cargo ships Natra and Zircon in the Sea of Azov. In a statement, it said four Azerbaijani citizens were killed and four others were injured.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has warned ahead of World Environment Day that Afghanistan's worsening water crisis is disproportionately affecting women and girls, who bear much of the responsibility for securing water for their families.
Counting is underway in Armenia's elections. The results of the vote are set to determine the political direction of the country of three million people for the next few years. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is hoping to fend off challenges from several pro-Russia candidates to secure a third term.
Armenian authorities arrested six candidates from the pro-Russian Strong Armenia bloc on Saturday, one day before voters were due to take part in parliamentary elections.
More than 6,000 people gathered outside a vote-counting centre in Seoul on Friday night, demanding this week’s local elections be repeated after ballot shortages left some voters unable to cast their ballots.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has confirmed the number of casualties its citizens suffered as a result of the 5 June drone attacks on the cargo ships Natra and Zircon in the Sea of Azov. In a statement, it said four Azerbaijani citizens were killed and four others were injured.
The U.S. said it struck Iranian radar sites on Qeshm Island and in Goruk after intercepting four drones, while Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they launches retaliatory strikes on four tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and targeted U.S. bases in the Gulf.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has confirmed the number of casualties its citizens suffered as a result of the 5 June drone attacks on the cargo ships Natra and Zircon in the Sea of Azov. In a statement, it said four Azerbaijani citizens were killed and four others were injured.
The United Nations has warned that Afghanistan has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, with around 600 mothers dying for every 100,000 live births.
In a workshop surrounded by the wreckage of war, workers in Gaza are giving a second life to small leisure boats once used for family outings and swimming trips.
A seven-month-old Palestinian baby has been killed and his parents injured after Israeli forces fired at a vehicle in Hebron, Palestinian health officials say.
The U.S. said it struck Iranian radar sites on Qeshm Island and in Goruk after intercepting four drones, while Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they launches retaliatory strikes on four tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and targeted U.S. bases in the Gulf.
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